This invention relates to sputtering methods and apparatus where a separate plasma source or the like may be employed and to various methods utilizing plasma sources.
In certain known sputtering systems where separate ion sources are utilized, the ion sources possess serious current density limitations and are not most effectively applicable over a range of gas pressures generally employed in the most desired sequences of vacuum processing, cleaning and coating operations. These problems and others associated with the prior art are avoided in the present invention in accordance with the following objects thereof.